Written Answers Tuesday 14 November 2008

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17027 by Richard Lochhead on 23 October 2008, whether it considers that, by including only deer farmers producing deer for the farmed market, it would be possible to devise a mechanism to support deer farmers through the single farm payment scheme that is affordable, fair, sustainable and legally sound.

Richard Lochhead: Farmers currently farming deer are not excluded from the Single Farm Payment scheme. But, deer farming was not among the activities which gave rise to entitlements under the scheme when it was set up. In considering this issue, the Scottish Government will need to take into account the relevant legal and financial constraints.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns among deer farmers at the delay in achieving a mechanism that would allow them to access support under the single farm payment scheme.

Richard Lochhead: I understand deer farmers’ concerns and the government is considering the issue. It is imperative that we examine the full implications, including the legal constraints contained in the relevant EU legislation, before taking a decision.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many suckler cows have been farmed in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07, broken down by region.

Richard Lochhead: The requested information is given in the following table:

  Number of Suckler Cows by Agricultural Region

  

 
 Suckler Cows


 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Agricultural Region
 Number
 Number
 Number
 Number
 Number
 Number


 Shetland
 2,022
 2,001
 2,111
 2,038
 1,934
 1,960


 Orkney
 28,486
 28,938
 28,362
 28,096
 27,259
 26,565


 Eileanan an Iar
 2,854
 2,895
 2,886
 2,873
 2,870
 2,799


 Highland
 55,119
 55,657
 55,184
 53,817
 52,210
 51,242


 North East Scotland
 95,399
 95,854
 96,260
 95,352
 94,471
 92,626


 Tayside
 38,124
 38,247
 37,601
 37,440
 36,397
 36,065


 Fife
 14,239
 14,122
 13,899
 14,503
 13,951
 13,722


 Lothian
 13,476
 13,711
 13,721
 13,622
 13,436
 13,696


 Scottish Borders
 48,853
 49,137
 50,290
 49,331
 46,789
 45,371


 East Central
 13,561
 13,679
 13,643
 13,475
 13,152
 12,976


 Argyll and Bute
 22,852
 23,297
 22,958
 22,251
 21,300
 20,901


 Clyde Valley
 33,197
 34,323
 34,415
 32,900
 31,896
 31,543


 Ayrshire
 30,589
 30,804
 31,017
 31,222
 29,993
 30,168


 Dumfries and Galloway
 88,362
 90,208
 89,972
 90,274
 86,566
 84,720


 Scotland
 487,133
 492,873
 492,319
 487,194
 472,224
 464,354



  Source: Scottish agricultural census. Data refers to first, non-Sunday, day in June each year.

  The information for 2003 to 2007 is already available, through separate publications for each year, in the annual Scottish Agricultural Census Summary Sheets publication.

  The information can be accessed through the agriculture and fisheries statistics website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Agriculture-Fisheries/PubScottishCensus.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bulls the Crofters Commission owns and administers for hire to crofters.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bulls for hire were sent to (a) crofters, (b) grazings committees and (c) crofting communities in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which (a) crofters, (b) grazings committees and (c) crofting communities hired a bull in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Michael Russell: In 2008, the Crofters Commission maintained a herd of 132 bulls to provide hire services to crofting groups. Details of hires in 2006, 2007, and 2008 are as set out in the table below. As hire groups are usually made up of a mixture of crofters, grazings committees and communities, more detailed breakdowns are not possible. Disclosure of personal details would contravene data protection legislation.

  

 2006
 2007
 2008


 124 hires
 121 hires
 119 hires


 Townships


 Abernethy
 Achachork
 Achachork


 Achachork
 Ahmore
 Ahmore


 Acharacle
 Aird
 Aird


 Ahmore
 Airds Kirkton
 Airds Kirkton


 Aird
 Ardheslaig
 Ardheslaig


 Airds Kirkton
 Ardnamonie
 Ardnamonie


 Airor
 Arinackaig
 Arinackaig


 Ardheslaig
 Back of Keppoch
 Back of Keppoch


 Ardnamonie
 Balantrushal
 Balantrushal


 Arinackaig
 Balavullin
 Balavullin


 Back of Keppoch
 Baleloch
 Baleloch


 Balantrushal
 Balemore
 Balemore


 Balavullin
 Balephetrish
 Balephetrish


 Baleloch
 Balmaqueen
 Balmaqueen


 Balemore
 Balranald
 Balranald


 Balephetrish
 Barrapol Tiree
 Balvraid


 Balmaqueen
 Birichen
 Barrapol Tiree


 Balranald
 Borve Barra
 Birichen


 Barrapol Tiree
 Borve Berneray
 Borve Barra


 Birichen
 Breakish Moss
 Borve Berneray


 Borve Barra
 Brogaig and Sartle
 Breakish Moss


 Borve Berneray
 Caligarry
 Brogaig and Sartle


 Breakish Moss
 Clachan Sands
 Caligarry


 Brogaig and Sartle
 Clashmore
 Clachan Sands


 Caligarry
 Corpach
 Clashmore


 Callanish
 Cullivoe
 Corpach


 Clachan Sands
 Diabaig
 Cosaig


 Clashmore
 Doll Brora
 Cullivoe


 Corpach
 Dorback and Dulnain
 Diabaig


 Cullivoe
 Drimsdale
 Doll Brora


 Diabaig
 Drumuie
 Dorback and Dulnain


 Doll Brora
 Dunans
 Drimsdale


 Dorback and Dulnain
 Earlish
 Drumuie


 Drimsdale
 East Brora
 Dunans


 Drumuie
 Elgol
 Earlish


 Dunans
 Eoligarry
 East Brora


 Earlish
 Erisort
 Elgol


 East Brora
 Erisort
 Eoligarry


 Elgol
 Feorlig/Roag
 Erisort


 Eoligarry
 Fetlar
 Erisort


 Erisort
 Gesto
 Feorlig/Roag


 Erisort
 Glaick 
 Fetlar


 Feorlig/Roag
 Glenelg
 Garynahine


 Fetlar
 Glenhinnisdale
 Gesto


 Gesto
 Glenmoriston
 Glaick 


 Glaick 
 Grean and Cleat
 Glenelg


 Glenelg
 Grenitote
 Glenhinnisdale


 Glenhinnisdale
 Halladale
 Glenmoriston


 Glenmoriston
 Harroldswick
 Grean and Cleat


 Grean and Cleat
 Heaste
 Grenitote


 Grenitote
 Hosta
 Harroldswick


 Halladale
 Hougharry
 Heaste


 Harroldswick
 Illeray
 Hilton Of Embo


 Heaste
 Isle Ewe
 Hosta


 Hosta
 Keoldale
 Hougharry


 Hougharry
 Kilkenneth
 Illeray


 Illeray
 Kilphedar
 Isle Ewe


 Isle Ewe
 Kingsburgh
 Keoldale


 Keoldale
 Kinloid
 Kilkenneth


 Kilkenneth
 Knockline
 Kilphedar


 Kilphedar
 Knockrome
 Kinloid


 Kingsburgh
 Knockvologen
 Knockline


 Kinloid
 Laxay
 Knockrome


 Knockintorran
 Lee Knockan
 Knockvologen


 Knockline
 Linicro
 Laxay


 Knockrome
 Lotts
 Lee Knockan


 Knockvologen
 Marwick Orkney
 Linicro


 Laxay
 Mellon Charles
 Lower Barvas


 Lee Knock
 Migdale
 Marwick Orkney


 Linicro
 Milton
 Mellon Charles


 Lotts
 Monkstadt
 Middleton and Sandaig


 Marwick Orkney
 North Boisdale
 Migdale


 Mellon Charles
 North Harris Group
 Milton


 Middlequarter
 North Raasay
 Monkstadt


 Middleton
 Ness
 North Boisdale


 Migdale
 Newtonferry
 North Harris Group


 Milton
 North Roe
 North Raasay


 Monkstadt
 Old Corry
 Ness


 North Boisdale
 Park Grazings
 Newtonferry


 North Harris Group
 South Unst
 North Roe


 North Raasay
 Satran
 Old Corry


 Ness
 Scaristaveg
 Ormiclate


 Newtonferry
 Scullamus
 Park Grazings


 North Roe
 Skerray
 South Unst( Uyeasound)


 Old Corry
 Sollas
 Sanday, Canna


 Park Grazings
 Sorrisdale 
 Satran


 South Unst
 South Boisdale
 Scaristaveg


 Satran
 Stenscholl
 Scullamus


 Scaristaveg
 Stoneybridge
 Skerray


 Scullamus
 Strathascaig
 Sollas


 Skerray
 Strone and Craggan
 Sorrisdale 


 Sollas
 Tigharry
 South Boisdale


 Sorrisdale 
 Tomich
 Stenscholl


 South Boisdale
 Tomich
 Stoneybridge


 Stenscholl
 Torrin
 Strathascaig


 Stoneybridge
 Totescore
 Strone and Craggan


 Strathascaig
 Ullinish and Balgown
 Tigharry


 Strone and Craggan
 Unakillie
 Tingwall


 Stronmilichan
 Upper Barvas
 Tomich


 Tigharry
 Vatersay
 Tomich


 Tomich
 West Gerinish
 Torrin


 Tomich
 West Sandwick
 Totescore


 Torrin
 
 Ullinish and Balgown


 Totescore
 
 Unakillie


 Ullinish and Balgown
 
 Upper Barvas


 Unakillie
 
 Vatersay


 Upper Barvas
 
 West Gerinish


 Vatersay
 
 West Sandwick


 West Gerinish
 
 


 West Sandwick
 
 


 WestEnd Iona

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which islands received a bull or bulls through the Crofters Commission’s Bull Hire Scheme in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008.

Michael Russell: The following islands received a bull or bulls in years 2006, 2007 and 2008

  

 2006
 2007
 2008


 North Uist
 North Uist
 North Uist


 South Uist
 South Uist
 South Uist


 Lewis
 Lewis
 Lewis


 Harris
 Harris
 Harris


 Skye
 Skye
 Skye


 Tiree
 Tiree
 Tiree


 Orkney
 Orkney
 Orkney


 Shetland
 Shetland
 Shetland


 Raasay
 Raasay
 Raasay


 Jura
 Jura
 Jura


 Barra
 Barra
 Barra


 Mull
 Mull
 Mull


 Isle of Ewe
 Isle of Ewe
 Isle of Ewe


 Canna
 Canna
 Canna


 Coll
 Coll
 


 Iona
 
 


 Islay

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the proportion of cattle in the crofting counties that were in calf to a Crofters Commission’s bull in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c)2005, (d) 2006 and (e) 2007.

Michael Russell: This information is not collected by the Scottish Government.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has an estimate of the number of crofters who own a bull and what proportion of crofters that represents.

Michael Russell: The June 2007 Agricultural Census indicates that 470 registered crofts, or holdings containing crofts, had a total of 735 bulls on them. In the same year, the Crofters Commission provided a total of 121 hires. It is not known how many of the remaining bulls were owned by crofters. As at 13 November 2008, there are 17,885 crofts registered with the Crofters Commission.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the Bull Hire Scheme operated by the Crofters Commission has been in existence.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what records it holds that show the original purpose of the Bull Hire Scheme.

Michael Russell: Cattle improvement measures have been available since the end of the 19th century, operated under powers provided by the Congested Districts (Scotland) Act 1897. Records from that time are not readily available, though information may be held in the public archives. The Crofters Commission took over management of the Bull Hire Scheme and stud farm at Inverness on 1 April 1996.

  The purpose of the existing scheme has been defined as: "Through support for livestock improvement measures, to retain livestock in these remote areas in order to maintain and enhance the environmental benefits associated with undertaking grazing by cattle on natural pastures as well as to promote collaborative working in crofting communities; thereby helping to maintain population in these remote areas."

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Bull Hire Scheme has made a positive impact on the quality of cattle produced in the Highlands and Islands since its inception.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what veterinary advice it took on the implications of ending the Bull Hire Scheme prior to making the decision to end it.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with buyers of calves about the proposal to end the Bull Hire Scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the giving away or selling of Crofters Commission bulls at below market rates raises any state aid implications.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what calculations and assumptions lay behind the cost figures quoted in the statement by Michael Russell on 1 October 2008 ( Official Report c. 11309) that referred to changes in the Bull Hire Scheme.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent report or assessment has been made of the Bull Hire Scheme operated by the Crofters Commission since 2003.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the ability to maintain quality bloodlines in bulls available to crofters following the disposal of the Crofters Commission stud farm.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government considers that the scheme at one time made a positive impact in terms of the maintenance of cow numbers, environmental benefits and local economic activity. However, the Scottish Agricultural College 2003 report (Bib. number 32088) concluded that the Bull Hire Scheme did not represent value for money in terms of genetic improvement of crofters’ cattle.

  In September 2007, the Scottish ministers invited the Crofters Commission to undertake a formal appraisal of the investment that would be required to bring the facilities at Inverness up to scratch for a modern service. The options appraisal carried out by independent consultants is available on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk . The independent investment appraisal sets out detailed cost assumptions including estimated costs per hire of £2,318 (at 124 bulls). However, with an estimated current annual hire rate of 110 bulls, the appraisal’s hire cost forecasts, under different investment scenarios, rise to approximately £2,500. Beneficiaries should pay at least 50% of costs in order properly to satisfy state aids (de minimis) conditions. This results in the forecast charge of £1,250 quoted by me on 1 October 2008 (Official Report c.11309), an increase of 150% on current hire rates. Experience has shown that increasing charges results in significantly lower use of the scheme.

  The Scottish Government did not consult formally on the future of the Bull Hire Scheme in advance of my statement, which responded to the Shucksmith Inquiry’s recommendations on its future. Veterinary issues were not seen as a major concern.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the special care requirements of bulls as opposed to other cattle.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any animal welfare issues associated with the ending of the Bull Hire Scheme and, if so, what those issues are.

Michael Russell: The ending of the Bull Hire Scheme does not raise any novel animal welfare issues. New owners and keepers of animals will have a responsibility to ensure their welfare in accordance with the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farm Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2000. There are also health and safety considerations in relation to the keeping of bulls and the Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Cattle contains advice on the keeping of bulls. Crofters Commission staff will be available over coming months to assist with the training of crofting groups who wish to take on a bull.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that bulls should be kept indoors in the winter.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by Michael Russell on 1 October 2008 ( Official Report c. 11309), what funds will be made available for building wintering facilities for bulls purchased by crofters and whether those funds will be guaranteed for bulls purchased by a croft enterprise or grazings committee.

Michael Russell: There is no specific requirement to keep bulls indoors in the winter. However, the Welfare of Farm Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2000 state that "animals not kept in buildings must, where necessary and possible, be given protection from adverse weather conditions, predators and risks to their health and, at all times, have access to a well-drained lying area." This applies to all farmed animals. Groups planning to acquire a bull will need to consider these regulations before proceeding.

  The building of wintering facilities is an eligible operation within the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme. Only crofters, and others of like economic status, are eligible for the scheme and, although part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme, the application process for the scheme is non-competitive. Grants will be made subject to eligibility and other conditions of the scheme.

  Future arrangements for providing assistance to mitigate the transport costs of bulls to and from remote areas are expected to extend to the costs associated with the overwintering of crofter-owned bulls on the mainland.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with private bull hire enterprises about taking over the market for bull hire in the Highlands and Islands.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that there is competition in the private bull hire market in the most remote communities.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what obligation private bull hire enterprises will have to provide bulls for hire to crofters in the most remote communities.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that private bull hire enterprises have sufficient experience and expertise to transport bulls safely to all island communities.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with private hire companies about the market opportunities which will become available to them in future as a result of the removal of subsidised state hire provision. No obligation can be placed on such companies either to provide bulls for hire in remote areas or to ensure competition. However, assistance to mitigate the transport costs of private hire should ensure that hiring in remote areas is no more costly than on the mainland and thus encourage greater competition.

  Private individuals or enterprises intending to offer bull hire services must comply with statutory requirements to provide appropriate care for livestock. The Scottish Government has no reason to consider that private commercial companies would be less than diligent in meeting such requirements.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications to the Scotland Rural Development Programme that relate to the transport costs of bulls in a private bull hire scheme are guaranteed to be approved.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by Michael Russell on 1 October 2008 ( Official Report c. 11309), what proportion of bull hire costs will be met by the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how crofters can make an application to obtain financial support to hire bulls from private bull hire enterprises.

Michael Russell: Future arrangements to mitigate transport costs of private hire, as noted in the Scottish Government’s response to the Shucksmith Inquiry, will be put to the European Commission in the first half of 2009. These arrangements will be designed to ensure that hiring in remote areas should be no more costly than on the mainland.

  It is proposed that future support should be delivered through the Scotland Rural Development Programme. Consideration is being given to providing such support on a demand-led rather than competitive basis. No guarantee can be given that all applications for Scottish Government support will meet the relevant eligibility criteria and other conditions.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative financial support will be available to crofters in relation to the costs of hiring a bull when the Scotland Rural Development Programme ends.

Michael Russell: It is too early to say what the arrangements for EU support might be after 2013.

Agriculture

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether crofters in receipt of a bull at less than market price from the Crofters Commission will receive assistance to replace that bull.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being put in place to give financial assistance to crofters who on more than one occasion in any year require to hire a bull as a result of an other bull not performing adequately.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the last date will be on which bulls can be hired from the Crofters Commission.

Michael Russell: The bulls hired in the 2008 season left the Stud Farm between February and June 2008. These are the last bulls to be hired under the Bull Hire Scheme, which will issue no bulls for hire in the 2009 season.

  The Crofters Commission will shortly be writing to all groups who used the hire service in the past three years to invite them to express an interest in acquiring a bull permanently in the spring/summer of 2009. This will allow the commission to assess requirements and initiate discussions with interested groups with a view to issuing bulls in time for the 2009 season.

  No direct assistance for the supply or hire of state-owned bulls will be available thereafter. Future assistance will be concentrated on mitigating the cost of transporting privately owned bulls in order to ensure that hiring in remote areas need be no more costly than on the mainland. Such assistance will be delivered through crofting support measures in the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Animal Health and Welfare Act (Scotland) Act 2006

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ban the use of electric shock collars as avoidable punishment under section 19 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act (Scotland) Act 2006.

Richard Lochhead: Section 19 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 makes it an offence for a person to cause a protected animal unnecessary suffering. There are no provisions in this section for Scottish ministers to ban or prohibit the use of any forms of punishment under this section. section 19 (4) which sets out points which the courts should take into consideration when deciding whether the suffering was unnecessary, include at (4)(d) whether the suffering was proportionate to the purpose of the conduct concerned. Therefore, it would be for the courts to decide whether the use of electronic training aids, and in what way they were used, caused unnecessary suffering.

  Currently, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support Scottish ministers introducing a ban on the use of electronic training aids under section 26 of the act. However, if the research due to report in 2010 indicates that these devices do cause harm or suffering, a ban on their use can be introduced.

Animal Welfare

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is consulting on the replacement of the Pet Animals Act 1951.

Richard Lochhead: It is our intention to issue a consultation paper on proposals to replace the Pet Animals Act 1951. This was planned for late this year, but has been delayed due to other work. We now anticipate that the consultation paper will be issued next year.

Animal Welfare

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to banning the use of drag snares.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government intends that issues relating to the regulation of drag snares should be looked at by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland legislation sub-group. It is a priority task for this sub-group, which is chaired by Sheriff Drummond to formulate proposals on the detail of new regulations on the use of snares, which would include consideration of the regulations as they relate to use of drag snares.

Animal Welfare

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards the regular dipping of sheep flocks on hills and uplands to be a desirable and effective method of tick control.

Richard Lochhead: The Sheep - Codes of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock published by the Scottish Executive, February 2002, recommends that where ticks are likely to occur, sheep should be protected by dipping or the use of other effective treatments. Regular dipping or use of other effective treatments is therefore desirable. The effectiveness of regular dipping of sheep flocks in controlling the tick population in particular areas will depend on various other factors including the distribution of woodland or other suitable areas of tick habitat and the presence of other tick hosts including rodents, hare and deer.

Animal Welfare

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what animal husbandry techniques are available and recommended by it to keep the tick population under control on the hills and uplands.

Richard Lochhead: Techniques available to control ticks in particular areas of grazing include fencing of woodland and exclusion of wild animal tick hosts, application of acaricidal treatments to grazing livestock, control of bracken and traditional moorland burning. Ideally a combination of these techniques will be used if this is practical and in accordance with other land management objectives. Controlling ticks in particular areas will however only have a limited effect in controlling the general tick population in Scotland because of the widespread distribution of suitable tick habitat and wild animal hosts.

Animal Welfare

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by the UK case control study to estimate the risk of tail injury to dogs, to which the Scottish Government has contributed funding.

Richard Lochhead: At September 2008, 30 veterinary practices had been recruited to participate in the research study by the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Bristol Veterinary School, investigating risk factors for tail injuries for dogs in the UK. Of these practices, 12 are rurally located and 18 are urban. Data has been received for 12 of these practices and 406 questionnaires were sent to pet owners (86 cases and 320 controls).

  The response rate was 24.4% for the cases and 26.2% for the controls. This response rate was lower than expected, as was the number of cases of tail injuries identified by each veterinary practice. However, based on the questionnaires received by September, 13% of the controls had docked tails and, therefore, the sample calculations could be revised such that only 150 to 200 cases would be needed.

  The researchers plan to recruit more veterinary practices and send reminder letters to the non-responders. Data collection will continue until the end of 2008, when analysis can be started and the report prepared. The final report is due by April 2009.

Animal Welfare

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with relevant stakeholders about any concerns about the impact of the ban on tail docking on tail injuries in undocked dogs.

Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officials intend discussing the impact of the tail docking ban with stakeholders once the study into tail injuries in dogs presently being conducted by the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Bristol has concluded. This study is expected to issue its report in April 2009.

Child Protection

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it changed the recording category of abuser to show natural parent rather than natural mother and natural father in table 3 in its Statistics Publication Notice, Child Protection Statistics 2007-08.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Executive did not change the recording categories of abuser to show natural parent rather than natural mother and natural father.

  However, the Scottish Executive did not publish a separate breakdown for natural mother and natural father in table 3 of the 2007-08 Child Protection Statistics Publication Notice as previously published. The reason for this was it had become apparent during the quality assuring and analysing of the 2007-08 child protection data that some authorities were increasingly unable to provide accurate information as to whether it was the natural mother or natural father who was the primary known/suspected abuser.

  The reasons being given by a number of local authorities were that the primary known/suspected abuser was sometimes the natural mother and natural father jointly (but the existing survey form was not allowing for this scenario to be recorded and reported, and therefore local authorities were being forced to specify whether it was solely the natural mother or the natural father, which was not strictly true).

  Please note that after discussing this issue with local authorities, the 2009-10 Child Protection Survey form has been amended to allow for joint natural parents being the primary known/suspected abuser to be reported, as well as natural mother or natural father separately. The survey form has also been amended to cater for joint step parents to be reported (as well as step mother or step father separately).

  We aim to re-introduce the publishing of this breakdown when the 2009-10 Child Protection Survey results are released in September 2010.

Children and Young People

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the European Union’s Safer Internet Programme.

Adam Ingram: Scottish ministers are committed to ensuring that our children and young people are kept safe in the online environment. We are undertaking a range of work with partners across the UK to ensure that this is the case.

  The European Safer Internet Programme is entirely consistent with the Scottish Government’s aims, which Scottish ministers will deliver in the context of taking forward within Scotland all relevant recommendations of the Byron Review, Safer Children in a Digital Age at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/byronreview/.

  Scottish ministers welcome the European Programme’s focus on strengthening international relations in this policy area, in recognition of the fact that online abuse is a global issue, and look forward to working with our UK partners in delivering this aspect of the European Programme.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that deaf children require specialist support from the moment of diagnosis of hearing loss to facilitate access to language and communication.

Adam Ingram: Research shows that the earlier a child’s needs are identified and met, the more successful results will be. This has particular implications for the support required by young children with language and communication difficulties. The Early Years Framework, which we are developing with COSLA, is about moving from intervention when a crisis happens, towards prevention, building resilience and providing the right level of support before problems materialise. We are looking to publish the Early Years Framework later this year.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which multi-agency professionals it believes should deliver interventions in the early years of a deaf child’s life to ensure the acquisition of age-appropriate language and communication skills.

Adam Ingram: The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 (ASL Act) emphasises the importance of effective multi-agency working. Appropriate agencies are required to respond to an education authority’s request for help in the exercise of any of the authority’s functions under the act, except under very limited circumstances. Appropriate agencies include, but are not limited to, social work services and NHS boards.

  The ASL Act requires that support provision matches the need of every individual child or young person. Education authorities are best placed to identify the multi-agency professionals required to deliver effective interventions for individual deaf children.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it acknowledges that there is an attainment gap between deaf pupils and their hearing peers.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government notes the national survey, The Achievements of Deaf Pupils in Scotland , which tracked the progress of deaf pupils from 2000 to 2004 and found that the attainment of deaf pupils was lower than that of their hearing peers.

  The HM Inspectorate of Education and National Deaf Children’s Society 2007 publication, Count us in: Achieving success for deaf pupils, signposts actions education authorities and schools can take to improve the experiences, outcomes and achievements of all deaf pupils.

  In addition, by putting the learner at the centre, Curriculum for Excellence aims to increase attainment and achievement levels for all children and young people. Curriculum for Excellence will ensure a greater focus on personal support to enable deaf pupils to have access to the same range of learning opportunities as other pupils, whilst having their specific needs met through a curriculum designed to address and meet those needs. This should enable deaf pupils to progress well in school and to achieve and attain in line with national expectations.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing minimum professional standards for the delivery of early interventions and support to deaf children and their families following diagnosis of hearing loss.

Adam Ingram: Ensuring those working with deaf pre-school children have the appropriate experience and skills set is a matter for local authority employers. The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce minimum professional standards for the delivery of early interventions and support to deaf children and their families following diagnoses of hearing loss.

  Teachers employed wholly or mainly to teach hearing impaired pupils are required to possess an appropriate qualification as laid out in The Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following introduction of universal newborn hearing screening in 2005, what measures have been taken to ensure that education professionals working with deaf babies and their families in the home environment have the training necessary to deliver this support effectively.

Adam Ingram: Within the context of the concordat and the National Performance Framework, the design of local services, including the employment and training of education professionals working with deaf babies and their families in the home environment, is a matter for local authority employers.

  The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to early intervention. The Early Years Framework, which we are developing with COSLA, is about moving from intervention when a crisis happens towards prevention, building resilience and providing the right level of support before problems materialise. We are looking to publish the Early Years Framework later this year.

  The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 requires education authorities to provide additional support to disabled children in their area, who have been brought to their attention by an NHS board as having, or appearing to have, additional support needs arising from a disability within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Energy

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with energy companies operating in Scotland on lowering domestic energy bills.

Jim Mather: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth along with the Minister for Communities and Sport are currently conducting a series of meetings with the main energy supply companies in Scotland. These meetings have covered a wide range of issues including energy efficiency and assistance for those in fuel poverty. Ministers have made clear at these meetings their wish to work in partnership with the energy companies to minimise the impact of high energy prices, particularly on our most vulnerable people. We are urging energy companies to pass on any reductions in wholesale energy costs which occur as quickly as possible.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects are being considered for the Saltire Prize.

Jim Mather: No projects are currently being considered as the competition is not yet open to entries. The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many submissions it has received for the Saltire Prize competition.

Jim Mather: No submissions have been received as the competition is not yet open to entries. The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the winner of the Saltire Prize.

Jim Mather: The Saltire Prize Challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008. Full details of the prize, and timing of the award, will be released at this time.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the eligibility criteria are for entry to the Saltire Prize competition.

Jim Mather: The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008 and draft competition guidelines including eligibility criteria will be made available as part of the consultation process shortly following this announcement.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects are being considered for the Horizon Prize.

Jim Mather: The Horizon Prize is now termed as the Saltire Prize. No projects are currently being considered as the competition is not yet open to entries. The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008.

  In addition to the Saltire Prize, the Saltire Innovation Fund will be used to create an entrepreneurial competition. This programme is currently being developed by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The launch is expected in spring 2009.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many submissions it has received for the Horizon Prize competition.

Jim Mather: The Horizon Prize is now termed as the Saltire Prize. No submissions have been received as the competition is not yet open to entries. The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008.

  In addition to the Saltire Prize, the Saltire Innovation Fund will be used to create an entrepreneurial competition. This programme is currently being developed by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The launch is expected in spring 2009.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the winner of the Horizon Prize.

Jim Mather: The Saltire Prize Challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008. Full details of the prize, and timing of the award, will be released at this time.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the eligibility criteria are for entry to the for the Horizon Prize competition.

Jim Mather: The Horizon Prize is now termed as the Saltire Prize. The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008 and draft competition guidelines including eligibility criteria will be made available as part of the consultation process shortly following this announcement.

Enterprise

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first Saltire Prize to be awarded.

Jim Mather: The Saltire Prize Challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008. Full details of the prize, and timing of the award, will be released at this time.

Enterprise

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how regularly it expects future Saltire Prizes to be awarded and whether they will be awarded for innovation in renewable energy.

Jim Mather: No decisions have been taken on the award of future Saltire Prizes. The current Saltire Prize will be launched on 2 December 2008.

Enterprise

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many contacts were made to Business Gateway services in the Lothians (a) between 1 April 2006 and 30 March 2007, (b) between 1 April 2007 and 30 March 2008 and (c) since April 2008, broken down by local authority area.

Jim Mather: Contacts to Business Gateway services during the periods specified and disaggregated by local authority area are as follows:

  

 Local Authority
1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007
1 April 2007 to21 March 2008
1 April 2008 toOctober 2008


 City of Edinburgh
 1,418
 3,854
 2,252


 East Lothian
 325
 530
 336


 Midlothian
 316
 472
 266


 West Lothian
 845
 1,159
 628


 Total
 2,904
 6,015
 2,469

Enterprise

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with key stakeholders in Scotland regarding the link up between the Enterprise Europe Network and the US-EU Match Network.

Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask their Chief Executives to write to you in this regard.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to prevent the contamination of beaches and what funding it is making available for this purpose.

Michael Russell: Under the Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC), bathing waters officially designated by Scottish ministers are monitored during the bathing season (1 June to 15 September) by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for possible contamination by faecal bacteria. Such contamination is from either sewage or agricultural sources.

  Ministers require that SEPA, as regulator, take appropriate action to protect and improve water quality including the quality of bathing waters. To this effect, SEPA have developed Pollution Reduction Plans for each of the 80 bathing waters, which identify potential threats to compliance, and the necessary measures to address this at the individual sites. These can be found on SEPA’s website at www.sepa.org.uk/data/bathingwaters/index.htm.

  Scottish Water is investing some £2.5 billion to deliver the improvements directed by ministers for the period 2006-10. These improvements are being funded by customers and some £800 million of lending from the Scottish Government. This investment will deliver improvements to the water environment, as well as to drinking water quality and customer services.

  The details of the improvements required may be viewed on the government’s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1057/0022201.pdf. Reports on the progress being made by Scottish Water to deliver these improvements are also available on the website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/waterindustryscot/qs3 .

  To help tackle the threat from diffuse agricultural pollution, ministers have provided SEPA with an additional £1.6 million over the current spending review period (2008-11). This is in addition to their core budget, which funds monitoring and investigative work. Ministers have also agreed an additional £800,000 over the same period to fund an expansion of SEPA’s variable messaging signage which provides beachgoers with warnings when their health might be at risk from bathing in polluted water.

  Farmers will also have access to the government’s Scotland Rural Development Programme to help fund measures, some of which will benefit bathing water quality.

European Union

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it can play in re-examining the EU regulations governing the shape, size and appearance of fruit and vegetables.

Richard Lochhead: The European Commission has already announced proposals for simplifying the Marketing Standards Regulations for fruit and vegetables. The Scottish Government fully supports this simplification. We will continue to work with officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on further development of the regulations.

European Union

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had in advance of the forthcoming EU Commission discussions to relax regulations governing the shape, size and appearance of fruit and vegetables.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government have been working with officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to monitor and contribute to developments on the reform of the Marketing Standards for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, which were first raised in the context of the 2007 reform of the EU Fruit and Vegetable regime.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11852 by Jim Mather on 24 April 2008, how many signature events have been confirmed for Ayrshire for Homecoming Scotland 2009.

Jim Mather: Three of the Homecoming signature events are taking place in Ayrshire.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11852 by Jim Mather on 24 April 2008, how many themed events have been confirmed for Homecoming Scotland 2009.

Jim Mather: There are 57 themed events within the Homecoming Scotland 2009 programme.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11852 by Jim Mather on 24 April 2008, how many themed events have been confirmed for Ayrshire for Homecoming Scotland 2009.

Jim Mather: There are three Homecoming Scotland 2009 themed events taking place in Ayrshire. A further themed event, Doors Open Days, will take place across Scotland including locations in Ayrshire.

Homecoming Scotland

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to actively engage tourist businesses in Ayrshire and across Scotland in the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations to ensure that the tourism industry achieves the maximum benefit from the celebrations and that Scottish businesses are better marketed abroad.

Jim Mather: The genesis of Homecoming 2009 was Robert Burns’ 250th anniversary and hence the programme starts with an Ayrshire flavour. The main objective of Homecoming is to attract additional visitors to Scotland next year, and thus yielding benefits to many businesses, including those providing accommodation, food, transport services and visitor attractions. VisitScotland and EventScotland, who are delivering the Homecoming Scotland programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, are actively engaging many tourism businesses in Ayrshire and across Scotland. In Ayrshire, for example, Stagecoach West have agreed to promote Homecoming.

  The Homecoming theme has been incorporated into all of VisitScotland’s marketing, and its Business Tourism Unit is encouraging business leaders with Scottish connections to bring their conferences to Scotland in 2009. The unit is working with Scottish Development International on an e-marketing campaign targeting top inward investors in Scotland to bring their business events here in 2009. One great success is the Forbes European CEO Conference which has been secured for Gleneagles in June 2009.

  A number of local authorities are working with the Homecoming team to present, to businesses in their areas, information on the opportunities that will arise from Homecoming next year. VisitScotland business relationship managers are also briefing their account managed companies on the Homecoming programme, and working with them to consider how the programme may offer them business opportunities, including overseas marketing.

Livestock

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out with the farming industry to assess the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any consultation with the farming industry to assess the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out with the farming industry to assess the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out with the farming industry to assess the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.

Richard Lochhead: As part of the work of the work with stakeholder organisations to develop the Scottish bluetongue vaccination strategy the Scottish Government commissioned its Centre of Excellence in epidemiology (EPIC) to assess the impact of a number of potential bluetongue scenarios and associated disease control responses. The report can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/10/14092524/0.

  The main findings of the report were that an outbreak of bluetongue would cost Scotland an estimated £100 million a year and that a mass vaccination campaign would have the most positive impact in avoiding such outbreak costs.

  Industry stakeholders requested a compulsory approach to vaccination given the veterinary advice, and experiences with other serotypes of bluetongue elsewhere in Europe, that a mass vaccination campaign is the only effective way of eradicating bluetongue or preventing it from becoming established. At the 9 April 2008 meeting of the Scottish Government - industry bluetongue stakeholder group all representative organisations unanimously signed up to this approach.

  The vaccination strategy was designed, and agreed, in conjunction with all these organisations and the results of the EPIC work were presented to the stakeholder group on 23 June. This meeting reaffirmed that vaccination should be compulsory in cattle and sheep (but strongly encouraged in other species).

  The analysis was undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team of experts covering areas such as epidemiology, entomology and economics. As part of their work they considered a wide range of factors such of the costs to industry of movement restrictions associated with appropriate zones, the costs of vaccination, disease surveillance and the potential impacts on trade.

  The analysis did not consider the approach to vaccination or uptake elsewhere in Great Britain as this is not pertinent to the costs of a vaccination campaign in Scotland. These factors are however very relevant to the risk to Scotland and the need to vaccinate. Given that to date there have been no domestic re-emergence of disease within Great Britain there had been some hope that vaccination against bluetongue virus 8 would not be required this year. However the eight separate incidents of bluetongue positive animals being imported into England and Wales, and their lower than hoped vaccine uptake illustrated a high level of risk to the Scottish livestock industry. Given this situation the Scottish Government industry stakeholder group agreed on 15 September that a vaccination campaign should be initiated this year to ensure that the Scottish livestock industry was protected before next summer’s high-risk period.

Livestock

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Richard Lochhead: The choice between a compulsory or voluntary vaccination scheme has no impact on export potential. The potential trade impact arises from being part of a bluetongue protection zone and vaccination and subsequent development of immunity will allow live animal movements to bluetongue 8 free areas. Animals are also allowed to move to slaughter in bluetongue 8 free areas at the discretion of the receiving country.

  The potential loss of some live exports was fully discussed with stakeholders and trade of live animals was considered in the impact assessment work which concluded that a mass vaccination campaign was proportionate to the level of risk and potential impact of a bluetongue 8 outbreak in Scotland.

Livestock

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.

Richard Lochhead: Industry representatives requested a compulsory approach to bluetongue vaccination as the veterinary advice and experience with eradicating other strains of bluetongue elsewhere in Europe is that a mass vaccination is the only strategy likely to avoid bluetongue virus 8 from becoming established in Scotland.

  The Scottish Government – industry discussions on the bluetongue 8 vaccination campaign have also drawn on European Commission guidance which has advocated compulsion as a mechanism for ensuring the necessary mass take up required.

Livestock

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme while the rest of the United Kingdom is not doing so.

Richard Lochhead: Veterinary advice and the analysis by EPIC is that mass vaccination campaign against bluetongue virus 8 would be in Scotland best interests. In the light of this advice and evidence of likely take up under voluntary initiatives industry stakeholders advocated a compulsory campaign to achieve the mass coverage required to prevent bluetongue virus 8 from becoming established in Scotland.

Livestock

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any consultation with the farming industry to assess the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.

Richard Lochhead: A mass vaccination supported by compulsion was agreed by stakeholders to be the only effective way of protecting Scotland’s livestock from the risk of bluetongue virus becoming established in Scotland. The approach to vaccination elsewhere in Great Britain is not relevant to the costs of the Scottish industry. It is relevant to the risk level to Scotland. A number of bluetongue positive import cases in England and Wales, combined with a lower that preferred level of uptake of vaccination in these areas was considered to mean a high risk of bluetongue to Scotland.

  The decision that vaccination was required in Scotland this year was taken at the Scottish Government industry bluetongue stakeholder meeting held on 16 September. This meeting had been called following the finding of 18 bluetongue positive animals in County Durham, the impact of which could have been to impose a Bluetongue Restriction Zone in Scotland. The minutes of the meeting can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/animal-welfare/Diseases/SpecificDisease/bluetongue/Stakeholder.

Local Authorities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will develop a monitoring framework for the delivery of the outcomes set out in single outcome agreements.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government will monitor the progress that councils and their community planning partners make in delivery of outcomes set out in single outcome agreements.

  As the bodies which plan, manage and deliver local services, it is for local authorities and their community planning partners to monitor the effectiveness of these services and how well placed they are to support outcomes highlighted in the single outcome agreement on an ongoing basis.

Local Authorities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are baseline statistics against which progress on the outcomes set out in single outcome agreements can be measured.

John Swinney: Each local authority is individually responsible for measuring progress on the outcomes set out in their single outcome agreements (SOAs). The SOAs for 2008-09 provided baseline statistics for the majority of the indicators being used to monitor progress towards outcomes. The full set of 2008-09 SOAs are available on the Improvement Service website at:

  http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/core-programmes/single-outcome-agreements-/

  Central and local government are committed to working together further to improve the availability and timeliness of statistics for use in SOAs.

Local Authorities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how and when it will report to the Parliament on progress on outcomes set out in single outcome agreements.

John Swinney: Local authorities will publish their annual reports on single outcome agreements (SOAs) in the autumn of each year, with reports relating to 2008-09 SOAs to be published in autumn 2009. A supplementary interim progress report will be produced for 2008-09 SOAs only, at the end of the current financial year. We shall ensure that these reports are made available for scrutiny by the Parliament.

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-15400 and S3W-15148 by John Swinney on 6 and 28 August 2008, on which days the car parking fines listed were incurred and, according to routinely kept records of Government Car Service passengers, which ministers travelled in cars in the cities concerned on those days.

John Swinney: The fines listed were incurred on 6 June 2007, 12 July 2007, 9 November 2007 and 22 April 2008. It is not possible to identify which, if any, of the ministers were in the cars at the time the four parking fines identified in the answers to questions S3W-15400 and S3W-15148 were incurred.

  The ministers who travelled in cars in the cities concerned on the dates mentioned are: Elish Angiolini, Bruce Crawford, Linda Fabiani, Fiona Hyslop, Adam Ingram, Richard Lochhead, Kenny MacAskill, Jim Mather, Stewart Maxwell, Frank Mullholland, Shona Robison, Michael Russell, Alex Salmond, Stewart Stevenson, Nicola Sturgeon, John Swinney and Maureen Watt.

Nutrition

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the European Union’s School Milk Programme.

Adam Ingram: Decisions on whether to participate in the European Commission School Milk Subsidy Scheme are made by local authorities. Under this scheme, local authorities are able to access a 75% subsidy to help them provide free school milk. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of milk as part of a balanced diet and we provide a subsidy for the remaining 25% towards free milk supplied by a primary school or recognised nursery.

Public Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the status of the new scrutiny bodies announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 November 2008 ( Official Report c. 12077).

John Swinney: The preferred status of the new scrutiny bodies will be announced following discussions with relevant organisations, stakeholders and trades unions, and after we have considered the recommendations from the action groups I established earlier this year.

Public Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the status of the new scrutiny bodies announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 November 2008 ( Official Report c. 12077) reflects the need for the bodies to be independent of ministers and free from political interference.

John Swinney: The government accepted the need for scrutiny to be independent in the response to the Crerar Review that we published in January 2008. The Accountability and Governance Action Group has recently provided recommendations from key stakeholders outwith government on issues such as guaranteeing operational independence from government for scrutiny bodies. The Scottish Government will publish a response to the action groups around the turn of the year.

Renewable Energy

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sponsored or is aware of research on using excess heat from generation capacity to help enhance the growth of organic products that can be used as a fuel source.

Jim Mather: We have not sponsored, nor or we aware of any such research. However, we welcome innovative ideas to assist in energy utilization in new and different ways. More generally, we are keen to utilise all forms of energy sources to both ensure basic needs such as heating but also to look at energy as a form of economic comparative advantage. To that end, we are developing links between industrial sectors to help co-operation between energy and food producers. For example, we provided aid to an Anaerobic Digestion Plant which will take waste streams from the food sector, and as well as creating green energy, it will use the heat by product to heat greenhouses for vegetables.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total funding value is of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme.

Jim Mather: The Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme as announced comprised £10.651 million in capital grant support for projects, although one project (CleanTechCom) has since withdrawn its application. The scheme also included £2.5 million for related infrastructure work at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. Six projects have also applied for revenue support, which could, depending on the success and output from the projects in question, amount to an estimated £5.3 million over a period of up to five years from the project commissioning.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding available from the previous administration for the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme (a) has been allocated and (b) remains unallocated.

Jim Mather: Capital grants worth £1.39 million have been awarded to grant recipients thus far. £10.378 million in capital support for projects remains unallocated, as does the £2.5 million set aside for infrastructure development at European Maritime Energy Centre. However, we expect to issue more payments under the scheme over the rest of this financial year and through to March 2011.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the capital elements of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme to be fully allocated.

Jim Mather: We expect to have issued all capital payments to projects by no later than March 2011.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reopen the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme to further applications and, if so, when.

Jim Mather: It is our intention to deliver further and significant grant support for wave and tidal projects. This needs to be based on a clear route map setting out the path and obstacles to 2020, and a robust assessment of need. For example, not all in the sector are at the stage where a repeat of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme would be of material benefit. We are working with the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) and with all those who have an interest in the sector to deliver these assessments as soon as possible.

  In the meantime, we are proposing to maintain high levels of support for wave and tidal power through the introduction of banding to our Renewables Obligation.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-16830 and S3W-16831 by Jim Mather on 31 October and 3 November 2008 respectively, whether it will list the projects that received grants under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme and the amount (a) received or (b) allocated in each year of the scheme.

Jim Mather: Five projects have received grant payments to date, totalling £1,394,016. These are as follows:

  

 Aquamarine Wave Power Ltd 
£274,795
 (completed)


 Ocean Power Delivery 
£184,228
 


 Wavegen 
£49,854
 


 OpenHydro
£839,818
 


 Tidal Generation 
£45,321
 (completed)

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the final (a) capital and (b) revenue grant instalments were or will be issued to projects supported by the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme.

Jim Mather: We expect to have issued the capital allocation under the scheme by March 2011. Projects can receive revenue payments for a maximum of five years after project commissioning.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland’s Marine Energy Group will be reconvened to assess the effects and outputs of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme and when it is anticipated that the group will report to ministers.

Jim Mather: The Marine Energy Group is being reconvened at the moment. We expect it to meet for the first time in January 2009, and report to ministers on an on-going basis.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce a final decision on future direct grant support for the wave and tidal power sector.

Jim Mather: It is our intention to continue to support wave and tidal projects. This needs to be based on a clear route map setting out the path and obstacles to 2020, and a robust assessment of need. We are working with the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland and with all those who have an interest in the sector to deliver these assessments as soon as possible.

  In the meantime, we are proposing to maintain high levels of support for wave and tidal power through the introduction of banding to our renewables obligation.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will provide ongoing support to the installation and commissioning or deployment of pre-commercial wave and tidal electricity generating devices when the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme grants have been allocated.

Jim Mather: We are consulting at present on the maintenance of higher levels of support for wave and tidal power under our renewables obligation. This measure is already attracting development proposals in waters around Scotland. We are also supporting innovation and levering investment through the Saltire Prize, details of which will be announced at the end of November 2008.

  More widely, we are working with all stakeholders on the development of a route map for the sector, which will provide an up to date assessment of the critical path to 2020, the necessary support levels and mechanisms and the issues to be resolved if we are to make Scotland a world leader. This vital work is being spearheaded by the Scottish Government in partnership with the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland, and will involve the input of the Marine Energy Group and the Scottish Government’s Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group.

Renewable Energy

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that down-rating the capacity of extant hydro generating stations, carried out prior to April 2002 to make them eligible for subsidy under the renewables obligation Scotland scheme after refurbishment, was the most efficient way of ensuring that such stations make the maximum contribution to combating climate change and whether it considers that they should be restored to their original capacities.

Jim Mather: There is no evidence to suggest that the down-rating of the stations in question has had an adverse impact on renewable generation. Eight hydro schemes in Scotland down-rated their capacity prior to April 2002 and the introduction of the renewables obligation. Scottish and Southern Energy, owner of seven of these schemes, has stated that the instatement of smaller, more efficient turbines at the stations in question has actually resulted in increased rather than reduced renewable output.

School Meals

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when all P1 to P3 pupils in each local authority in the Lothians region will receive free school meals, broken down by local authority.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has a jointly agreed commitment in our concordat with COSLA that all local authorities will provide free school meals to P1 to P3 pupils from August 2010, subject to the necessary legislation being passed by the Parliament.

School Meals

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to provide free school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils in each local authority in the Lothians region, broken down by local authority.

Adam Ingram: The additional funding to enable local authorities in Lothian region to provide free nutritious school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils from August 2010 has already been included in the local government settlement provided to local authorities for the period from 2008 to 2011.

St Andrew's Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has provided to schools regarding St Andrew’s Day 2008 and at what total expected cost.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government sent a leaflet of ideas and activities for celebrating St Andrew’s Day, together with a Saltire flag, to all schools and pre-schools in Scotland.

  The design and print of the leaflet, together with distribution of one leaflet plus one Saltire flag to each of 2,760 schools and 4,329 pre-schools, nurseries, playgroups and family centres, cost £12,932. The cost of the Saltire flags is detailed in the question S3W-17349, answered on 13 November 2008.

  In addition, Learning and Teaching Scotland have set up a web page (at no additional cost) for schools and pre-schools to showcase their celebrations, and they are also highlighting the St Andrew’s Day celebrations through Glow.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Wildlife Crime

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many wildlife crime officers there are.

Michael Russell: In total there are approximately 80 police officers and civilian police staff who deal with wildlife crime.

Young People

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make a submission to the European Union’s Strategic choices for young Europeans consultation.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of young people engaging and participating in the decision making process locally, nationally and internationally. In response to the European Union’s strategic choices for young European consultation , the Scottish Government has asked Youthlink Scotland, Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament to publicise this consultation to their members and encourage their participation.

  Individually and collectively these organisations represent, and regularly engage with, a wide variety of stakeholders in the public and voluntary youth sector, and of course, with young people themselves.